January 5, 2010

On Sunday morning I introduced our theme verse for the year, Is. 40:31, “But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not by weary, they shall walk and not faint.” The word translated wait is more accurately translated hope or trust. The meaning is not a passive waiting around but an active expectation as one steps out in faith. It’s interesting that God uses the eagle to illustrate this.
The eagle does most of its flying by catching the wind and soaring with outstretched wings rather than flapping its wings like most other birds. In this way they are able to rise above the storm clouds to great heights. We all go through times of storm. For us as a church 2009 was a stormy for us as a number of people left our church and started a new church nearby. While we chose to bless them and pray for their success we still felt the pain of loss and separation that resulted.
For you individually or as a family 2009 may have been a stormy time due to health issues, financial setbacks, relational conflicts, undesirable circumstances or hurtful situations. Whether as a church or as families and individuals the tendency is to get bogged down with the burden of it all. But victory in Christ means to transcend our circumstances rather than to succumb to them. Instead of living under the circumstances we can live above them.
I believe that both as a church and as families and individuals we can trust the Lord and as we step out in faith our strength is be renewed and we mount up with wings like eagles. I believe that is the word to us for 2010. It can actually be boiled down to one word, ascend. Ascend in 2010. Say it out loud. How does that sound? Whatever storm or difficulty you might be facing, don’t allow it to keep you bogged down but trust the Lord and ascend above it. The circumstance or situation may or may not change but the way you respond to it can. Let’s purpose to ascend in 2010. We will be amazed at the difference it makes
Already in 2010 I have been amazed. Our Christmas dinner and program last Sunday exceeded our expectations. After postponing the event two weeks ago due to the snow storm we weren’t sure how the response would be. Even though it was still within the 12 days of Christmas, it seemed a little anti-climatic to celebrate Christmas after the beginning of the New Year. But it actually may have turned out better than had we done it as first scheduled.
I guess my faith was weak. I found myself looking at all the tables that had been set up thinking that half of the 152 places may be empty. The reality was that by the time everyone arrived more places were needed in order to accommodate everyone. We figured that right at 160 people attended the event. On a Sunday not long ago the attendance was less than that at our regular Sunday morning celebration although attendance the last two Sunday’s has been 190.
I want to thank everyone who helped to make the evening special. Thanks to Esther Showalter who was the inspiration behind the idea to have a church family Christmas dinner and program. Thanks to those who did the set up and tear down of tables and chairs. Thanks to the Dale Mast family for providing violin dinner music. Thanks to Bonnie Showalter for coordinating the children’s singing and playing instrumental selections. Thanks to all those who volunteered to share their talent in the informal, unscripted, family style program. And thanks to all of you who attended, brought food and shared your love and support for our church family.
So, what is next? That’s right, Winter Bible School. On Tuesday nights for the next twelve weeks we will serve a meal at 6:00pm for the whole church family followed by a variety of class options you can sign up for. Wives, if you want to motivate your family to attend, you might consider doing what I heard one wife did. She told her husband if he wanted to eat on Tuesday nights he had to attend Winter Bible School because she wasn’t cooking on Tuesday nights for the next twelve weeks. What a woman. May her number increase!

Blessings,
Pastor Gerald Martin